Placement Officer

**Salary**:£27,000 - £33,000 per annum (depending on experience)
**Location**: Harrow
**Working Pattern**: 37.5 hours per week, 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday

We have an exciting opportunity for a Placements Officer to join the team at Nexus Fostering. We are looking for an organised, talented and driven individual to join our Core Services team at our Head Office in Harrow.

Nexus fostering is a well established independent fostering agency that covers the mid section of England in nine regional offices and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

**The Role**

As a Placements Officer, you will be responding to placement requests (referrals) from local authorities and identifying a suitable foster family/ies. You will be working closely with Local Authority Placement Teams to ensure the highest possible standard of appropriate placements for children and young people referred to Nexus Fostering.

In consultation with the Placement Manager, you will ensure that each child or young person placed with Nexus Fostering is carefully matched with a Foster Carer capable of meeting their needs.

You will be responsible for maintaining a database of information relating to referrals, children, young people and Foster Carers, including records of movements of children within the agency. You will be responsible for providing statistical information on referral and placement trends to inform service development and ensuring that all relevant agreements are obtained and completed.

As Placement Officer, you will ensure that the protection of children and the promotion of their welfare is given absolute priority in all activities.

**What we’re looking for**
- Experience in customer care or an account management environment
- A proven track record in obtaining and maintaining customer relationships
- Ambitious and results oriented
- Demonstrate experience in producing clear, accurate and concise written information and correspondence using IT software packages
- Clear thinking and methodical approach
- Experience of utilising a range of IT programmes and maintaining database systems
- Experience of working in a health, social services or welfare environment (Desirable)
- Experience of working within an organisation regulated by legislation and a demonstrable ability to work within a policy and procedural framework (Desirable)
- Ideally situated within an hour of the office location as this position if full time office based
- With the ability to process distressing, sensitive and confidential information in a professional manner

**The Job role**:

- Receive referrals, make appropriate matching decisions and record relevant information concerning children and young people on to the company’s database.
- In consultation with the Placement Manager ensure that each child or young person placed is carefully matched with a carer capable of meeting their needs.
- Maintain a database of information relating to referrals, customers, children, young people and foster carers, including records of movements of children within the agency. Provide statistical information on referral and placement trends to inform service development.
- Liaise with all stakeholders regarding the placement of children and young people, ensuring all relevant agreements are obtained and completed.
- Obtain funding agreements and complete Local Authority Contracts, Pre-Placement and Individual Placement Agreements.
- Liaise with Local Authority Customers to promote the services of Nexus Fostering.
- Ensure that the protection of children and the promotion of their welfare is given absolute priority in all activities.
- Develop administration systems pertaining to the post.
- Attend and participate in internal and external meetings and forums.
- To take responsibility for your own professional development - supervision, appraisal and training.

**Why work for us?**
- Generous annual leave - 28 days PLUS your bank holiday entitlement
- Birthday Leave - a paid day off for your birthday
- Good Health Days - no sickness in a 6-month period earns you an additional day off
- Refer-a-Friend Scheme with a monetary incentive
- Comprehensive employee assistance platform with 24/7 access to advice and support
- Auto-enrolment pension
- Learning & development opportunities
- Optional private healthcare scheme
- Eyecare vouchers
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Optional enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave/shared parental leave

**Everyone is welcome**

Diversity and inclusion are the principles for how we build our teams and Unity Foster Care strives to create an inclusive culture where all forms of diversity are valued and celebrated. We want a workforce which represents the communities we serve and work, to ensure no applicant or employee is treated unfairly on the basis of race, gender, age, disability, religion or identity. We recognise and value the individual differences and contributions of all employees and belie